title: Trefoil peptides: mitogens, motogens, or mirages?
abstract: Healing of mucosal damage occurs in two phases: restitution of mucosal integrity followed by remodeling with recreation of mucosal architecture. Models of these phenomena include cryoprobe-induced ulcers, NSAID lesions, and surgical anastomosis. Three trefoil peptides are expressed constitutively by epithelial cells in specific regions of the GI tract: pS2 (gastric), spasmolytic polypeptide (SP, gastric and Brunner's glands), and intestinal trefoil factor (ITF, goblet cells). Altered expression occurs in reparative epithelium and adjacent mucosa. In cryoprobe ulceration, rSP mRNA abundance doubles within 2 h, with rITF mRNA becoming detectable after 2-3 days. TGF-alpha and EGF mRNAs do not increase as rapidly as rSP or to the same extent as rITF. Indomethacin lesions of gastric mucosa show increased SP immunoreactivity deep in damaged glands within hours. Surgical anastomotic damage increases rITF mRNA levels at the ulcer edge and sometimes rSP mRNA and peptide in para-anastomotic crypts. Initially, trefoil peptides were viewed as mitogens. However, they are in fact motogens, able to promote cell migration, and may possibly be morphogens. Interactions occur between trefoils and other wound healing peptides (FGFs and EGF). Trefoil peptides appear to be of considerable importance to mucosal healing and might constitute a biologic target of therapeutic relevance.
authors.affiliation: Gastric Surgical Pathobiology Research Group, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510-8060, USA.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Modlin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poulsom
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002465:Cell Movement; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000502:physiology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000502:physiology; D009077:Mucins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000503:physiopathology; D010455:Peptides / Q000502:physiology; D011506:Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D000071164:Trefoil Factor-2; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009077:Mucins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D010455:Peptides; D011506:Proteins; C051838:TFF1 protein, human; C099037:TFF3 protein, rat; C000604008:Tff2 protein, rat; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D000071164:Trefoil Factor-2; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C034407:pancreatic spasmolytic polypeptide